Letters to the editor

All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to HH Hanumat Presaka Swami Guru Maharaj.

Hare Krsna dear Guru Maharaj,

Please accept my humble obeisances at Your sweet, merciful lotus feet.

HpS - The same to you and more of it. 🙂 Do you have feet or hooves in your svarupa???

Sorry for the delay....wanted to share so many stories...don't even know where to start..

We begin with Shantipur festival...the first in my life...mango groves everywhere...endless queue...endless seva...we later heard the next day Mangal arti announcement that this year...it broke all records...50,000 prasadam plates distributed by ISKCON, Mayapur...All glories to Srila Prabhupada....standing in the queue was worth it...

HpS - I guess we can give up on "Back home. Back to Godhead". This is home, this is already Godhead.

The prasadam was simply great...I did not take the tomato chutney as I was more interested in Khichri and subjee....and when I requested some seva...the sweet devotees gave me a bucket full of chutney....there Sri Advaita laughing at me...for refusing chutney...hahahaha....then nobody was really taking it...and was really worried whether poor self will have to loiter here and there without nobody taking the chutney....just as these thoughts ran in my monkey mind....one by one...the devotees called...here...here...chutney please...chutney please...there in just about 45mins...not a drop of chutney was spared....Thank you Guru Maharaj....in Your sweet name I offer this

Seva...for those who visited Shantipur

Had a holy dip at Mother Ganga...joined a great, great Ganga arti and Puja....

Visited Yogapeeth....Chand kazi samadhi...ghosala...Srivas angan...and Rajapur Jagannath....what a feast...we booked for 17 of us...we'll ahead of Gaura Purnima..

Classes were so nice...

A day before Gaura Purnima, the Matajis offered Vasant Raas at Sri Anuprabhu and then again on the same day...at Gopaldev Mandir....thank you Guru Maharaj...for the strength and will to offer our humble services

Gaura Purnima at Mayapur...ecstatic as always....at night we left for Sri Jagannath Puri...

Got a dip at Puri....so purifying....

Had Sri Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra Ma's darshan...

Then leela unfolds....as we were attending Mangal arti at ISKCON, Puri....a mataji just sat next to me...we were reciting the rudra geet...after the arti...she asked me ...where I am from? Then asked whether I would like to have darshan of Adi Jagannath....the sweet, sweet NeelMadhav....took some mins to decide....as I did not want to break from the group....somehow 2 matajis from the group wanted to be with me....that's when I said to the Mataji ....and we went all the way...a good 90kms from Puri....by auto...bus...then another vehicle to climb up the Brahmadri hill....the first time we had Darshan of NeelMadhav....we had darshan of Sri Raam mandir on our way to Sri NeelMadhav

Next day we went Alarnath....we cried seeing the body print of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu on that flat rock....everything came alive...

Had darshan of Tota Gopinath....Gambhira....Adi, Madhya and Antya all covered .....Thank you Guru Maharaj....we realised much later

Then....Hanuman and His mystical magic....

As we were to leave Puri, we went for just one last darshan at Sri Jagannath Puri....one mataji and myself were walking in the premises....suddenly...this man starts following me....asking me where I want to go....I told him...I am looking for the South gate as the Pujari asked me to be there....then he kept following ...his eyes were shinning brilliantly....at 4pm....then he told us....wait...before you go to the East and South gate...watch the change of flag with me....then....

He narrated the arti of Hanuman daily before changing the flag...how wind speed comes down after the arti....He narrated a lot of pastimes....something dauned in me....I asked his mobile number....He said...I don't have a mobile....so strange....then he said...don't worry...I live nearby...Next time you come you will find me...

Then I ask for a pic with him....then he said...we can take the pic later...I will tell you how to look at Sri Jagannath...

Then I asked him how many times have you joined Rath Yatra....then he said 8 times....immediately I was reminded of Astasakhis....I couldn't help myself...just took his hands and paid my obeisances....

We forgot to take pics...I landed at East gate....and then Pujari was waiting there....I never saw the man again

Vasudev, the Pujari lead us to have Garbha griha darshan...followed by Sri Jagannath's mahaprasadam

Started BG classes....new one for children and young ones who are reading for the first time....started last Sunday on Papamochana ekadashi..

Will be starting IDC on Saturday

Continuing with our morning and evening classes.

Every Monday we ( 25 of us) read the book Speaking about Varnasrama, with HG Devarshi Prabhu. Thank you for your mercy Guru Maharaj....may I be able to give everything for Your service ....Hare Krsna dear Guru Maharaj

Sending some pics of the yatra...

Your insignificant servant,

Sarad Gaurangi DD

HpS - Do you just read BG As It Is from cover to cover or do you extract topics, purports?

You never now who you are dealing with in the Holy Dhama's no?

Hare Krsna Guru Maharaja

Pamho

"HpS-Seems nice.

When do you get up regularly?

Can you lead the full morning program, got basic Bhakti sastri education, cook kitri and halavah?"

First I usually get up between 8 or 9 am now a days, some days are exceptions and I woke up at 6 or either at 10. But since since I'm living here with my whole family is more hard to follow a strict sadhana than when I was living in a temple for obvious reasons, there I was waking up to mangal arati and going to milk cows in the early morning (milking right after tulsi puja usually).

And second yes, specially the cooking kitri and halavah, I don't consider myself a specially good singer and everytime I hope someone else could do it but I enjoy doing the puja.

And lastly I would take brahmana iniciation mostly for being able to worship the deities and being able to have my own deities such a shalagram shila and others.

Anyways excuse me for not answering before, all this days have being quite "strange" to say the least and the festivities were not helping on having more time.

As usual how is your healt? That old car need some fixing? Or is it still good to drive?

Hare Krsna!

:D

HpS - Back in USA, Houston, as you probably know.

Brahminical culture means up by Brahma murhurta, Mangala arati, Kirtan, SB etc.

We have found that in so many circumstances we can do this without disturbing people around us and then often many of them begin to join us.

Kind of like Vibhisana in Lanka only different. 😆

All the Silas are early risers.

What is happening with your career status?

That is also a Brahminical symptom. Got long term vision.

Thank you!!!

All Glory to Srila Prabhupada, all glory to all devotees.

Please accept my humbles obeisances unto you.

Dear Gurudeva: In these days filled with violence and ever-increasing wickedness, by His mercy I have continued to chant HARE KRISHNA, in fact, I almost never do rounds of 108 mantras; I usually chant 110, 115, or even 200 mantras per round, because I’m not often satisfied with my pronunciation of each mantra.

I’ve also continued studying SP’s books, just as we follow the tireless preaching activities you share with us, I'm finishing reading the Madhya lila, and the SP’s lectures of BG, and I’ve been writing some essays on the Puranas, as well as reading many of the books published on iskcon desire tree by various acaryas, such as the Sad Sandharbas.

I’ve tried to speak only about Krishna with everyone I can,

I don’t have a fixed home to live in—I’m a nomad—and I live only by Krishna’s mercy. I don’t make elaborate plans either, because, as you’ve told me, Krishna has other plans. 

Sometimes, people who follow different traditions also invite me to pray with them in a group, but it’s very difficult to organize programs with local devotees. Unfortunately, preaching is becoming less common these days. Honestly, I’m afraid to approach certain devotees; I don’t want to offend anyone. It’s very sad to see the devotees’ faults, such as the feminist rhetoric that criticizes SP and other acaryas. 

However, we pray that Nitay Goranga will help us in their mission. That is why it is more inspiring to watch and follow programs from other countries. Without a doubt, your efforts and example help us to not lose hope. I'm glad to see other people taking an interest in KC, I see my own smallness in carrying out SP’s purposes and in becoming a true servant. That is why I pray to be able to continue in that direction

Your crew member Aniruddhakrsna Das.

HpS - Thank you.

Srila Prabhupada writes in the NoI etc that he also feels sometimes that there is no help from some of the people who should be the very closest to him by institutional relations.

As you comment at least we should be GBC Secretaries of our bead bags in all circumstances and then we can see what Krsna wants us to do in terms of institutional relations. Community relations.

Srila Prabhupada showed "a lifetime in preparation". Maybe several lifetimes for us.

On the other hand, great political leaders can have a deep personal realization at any moment and the whole world can change in a week.

Gauranga!

Maybe suggest some dialog on specific topics here in our Blog?

HK Maharaj

PAMHO AGTSP

All Glories to Sri Sri Guru And Gauranga

All glory to You

I hope you are doing well. Thank you so much for your kind words and your thoughtful question. I truly appreciate your consideration.

-HpS - Esteemed tail-less monkey, paoho, after so many months of writing this letter has you understanding of the KRSNA book changed?

It is maybe the most central book in all of our meditations-.

Regarding that… my difficulty wouldn't be so much understanding the content, but rather being able to express it correctly. I feel I have a certain degree of appreciation and, above all, faith in what I read, but I don't feel confident or capable of explaining it clearly and completely to others.

Therefore, rather than implying that the book is incomprehensible to me, I should have said that my understanding is still developing, in process, or immature… and that, consequently, my ability to communicate it would also be insufficient or childish. That is what I meant to express. And… that any slight inclination toward the truth… I can only attribute to Srila Prabhupada’s causeless mercy. Because without that mercy, there would be neither interest nor approach.

On the other hand, I'd like to clarify something to avoid any possible misunderstanding. Actually, I don't speak or write English – only at a very basic level – 8%?

What I do is write my texts in Spanish and then translate them paragraph by paragraph using Google Translate. Perhaps that's why the final result might sound elaborate… but that's not really my level of English.

Thank you again for your question, as it is undoubtedly a central book in our meditation.

ENC das…

Tailless monkey begging to be of use during the Lanka fire.

Comprensible Inconcebible y Fe

HK Maharaja

PAMHO AGTSP

All Glories to Sri Sri Guru And Gauranga!!

Todas las glorias a Ti

Espero te encuentres muy bien. Muchas gracias por tus amables palabras y por su significativa pregunta. Realmente aprecio tu consideración.

-HpS - Esteemed tail-less monkey, paoho, after so many months of writing this letter has you understanding of the KRSNA book changed?

It is maybe the most central book in all of our meditations-.

 En cuanto a ello… mi dificultad no sería tanto la de entender el contenido, sino en poder expresarlo correctamente. Siento que tengo cierto grado de apreciación y sobre todo fe en lo que leo, pero no me siento seguro o capaz de explicarlo de manera clara y completa para los demás.

Por eso, antes que dar a entender que el libro me resulta incomprensible, debí decir que mi comprensión aún está en desarrollo, en proceso, o inmadura… y que por ello también mi capacidad para comunicarla sería insuficiente o infantil. Es lo que quise expresar. Y… que cualquier leve inclinación hacia la verdad… solo puedo atribuirla a la misericordia sin causa de Srila Prabhupada. Porque sin esa misericordia, no habría ni interés ni acercamiento.

Por otro lado, quisiera aclarar algo para evitar un posible malentendido. En realidad, no hablo ni escribo inglés – solo apenas con un mínimo nivel- 8 %?

Lo que hago es redactar mis textos en español y luego traducirlos párrafo por párrafo utilizando Google Translate. Quizá por eso el resultado final puede que suene elaborado… pero no es ese en verdad mi nivel de inglés.

Gracias nuevamente por tu pregunta, ya que sin duda se trata de un libro central en nuestra meditación.

ENC das

Mono sin cola que ruega poder ser útil durante el incendio en Lanka

 HpS - ASA - AgtSP.

I guess that as we hear more, that will stimulate our chanting and then we will be able to stimulate those sincere souls Krsna sends on our path to also enter into smaranam.

Google.com is grateful that we understand 8% English and give it help by selecting corresponding Spanish no?

Because we cannot talk to our neighbors we have to use anti-social media to talk to people on the other side of the moon.

{Picture of werewolf with tilka howling under the moon}.

Let us, lettuce, look at one more Blog post.

PAMHO AGTSP!

All Glories to Sri Sri Guru And Gauranga!!

HK Maharaj!! how are you?? where are you now?? how's your health doing?? frankly speaking I haven't been following you that much on X, should follow you more.

Long time no see 😃 I have been thinking of you, willing to write you.

Well, here I've been working here 😃 now I have a new job as an affiliate marketer, I run ads for third party companies and get comission fees for the selling. So it went good for some time and now I'am on a break, waiting for some money to arrive.

Also am studying digital marketing, and well I like it. Well I like more all that has to do with productivity and time management for being honest. Sometimes in a while I watch some video on the internet and gain some new process to implement in my productivity system.

Now I've learned how to prioritize my daily tasks (usually personal stuff to do), I set an order for the arranged by importance or urgency. I works fine for me now everything is more ordered.

I've been learning some Italian 😃 and was good, and been attending to an italian conversation club 😃 so great really nice people there.

I paused my Portuguese classes for some time because of some personal situation, and well still practicing at the Portuguese conversation club 😃 I really have a passion for languages 😃

Well I'm still exercising 😃 have been going for a run every single day (with some minor exceptions) and I've lost like 10kg. Now I'm more in shape.

What else can I tell you, well I've learned about this productivity hack of a monthy reflection, I have a simple questionnaire of 8 points, and I'm going through it every month. For instance I write down what are the 5 better things that happened during that period, which one was the best of it, what would I change for the next month, what should I be grateful for, and so on.

I find it a way of perfecting myself and correcting whatever it needs.

I have a feeling that I need new kind of friendships, like more of the kind of people who practice sports and wake up early in the morning, even during the weekends.

I really feel a bit tired of going out for dinner, or staying up late fridays and saturdays, it's not that I stay up really late but I feel that if I hang out more with sportsman I would have more a chance of well, practicing sports, that is something I really like, and also generally speaking those guys they wake up "with the sun".

What do you think about all of this Maharaj?? any productivity advice you would like to give me? How do you manage your daily life and tasks?

hope to see you soon 😃 HK!!!

Federico

HpSwami - AgtSP

Thank you your news.

In Chile headed to USA by the 30th.

When I could not live near the 🛕 Temple I was taking Karate classes from a friend of my family's work place.

Is good how we can chant more Mantras bettah [better].

Hope you can follow us on this Blog and WhatsApp.

Hare Krishna, Gurudev,

Please accept my most humble and respectful obeisances

All glories to Srila Prabhupada, to you, and to all the Lord's devotees.

Dear Gurudev, this is Deva Vrata das from Argentina speaking.

I am so happy to see you in the Holy Dhama in ecstasy, the super-excellent Radha Kunda.

I have been watching your classes, which are so generously shared by the devotees who are with you there.

Gurudev, the other day I was reading the section in Caitanya Caritamrita about Raghunath das Gosvami. I've always been very drawn to him and his renunciation. I think that's also what attracts me most to you. And I was thinking about how similar you are.

Jay Gurudev! Jaya Raghunath das Gosvami!

Here, I am still mired in material suffering, struggling with the bad karma I have sown through my misdeeds and trying to practice SOME sincere devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is very difficult because I have been a fraud since time immemorial. I always have hidden desires for selfish enjoyment in every action, which causes everything to be frustrated, and I obtain neither one thing nor the other.

HpS - Well, agtSP, at least that would mean that you are not a demon.

Arjuna, in the Bhagavad Gita, is troubled about what will become of the yogi who embarks on the devotional path but falls due to his worldly mindset. Will he be lost (disappear) like a cloud in the sky? Will this practitioner find no success in any sphere, neither material nor spiritual?

Gurudev, how can one live a reasonably "normal" life in this world? (I mean, neither pretending to be a mahatma, nor becoming a two-legged animal.)

I have neither the qualifications to become a great transcendentalist nor the qualifications to become a successful "karmi" practitioner... what should I do?

I truly feel that this life in this body is already flawed, skewed from the start, from the moment I was born. I wish (if I could) to change bodies right now and have a slightly more favorable birth.

Truly, Gurudev, one cannot live without obtaining any enjoyment in any sphere, neither material nor spiritual.

I always remember a verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam recited by Mahatma Vidura that sums up the situation:

SB 3.7.17

Both the lowest of fools and one who is transcendent to all intelligence enjoy happiness, while those in between suffer material torments.

https://vedabase.io/es/library/sb/3/7/17/

Gurudev... how do we take that step to become transcendentalists, in a pleasant and viable way, without having to revert to the folly of "mudha" and seek base enjoyment in material things? How do we tolerate the torment of having no enjoyment in any sphere, neither material nor spiritual? Who can live a "dry" life in every sense?

Thank you, Gurudev, for your constant inspiration, because you are living proof that there are great souls who are experiencing the transcendental pleasure of serving God without personal desires.

Please excuse the defeatist tone of this letter.

Hare Krishna

Deva Vrata das

HpS - AgtSP. Paoho. This letter seems to be written long time ago.

So nice to have your association here in Santiago.

Your question seems to be something that will take some time to answer.

First initiation should inform us that we have a friend who will help us in our journey and is waiting for us at the end also.

Second initiation should be the beginning of DVAD. I am shudra ksatriya brahmana brahman.

Then more details come.

Fundamentally we do not fit here, some there can be material peace on the trip but it will always be a trip.

o. k.? See you in few minutes!

...............................................................................................................................................

Hare Krsna Gurudev

Por favor acepte mis más humildes y respetuosas reverencias

Todas las glorias a Srila Prabhupada, a usted y a todos los devotos del Señor

Querido Gurudev, aquí habla Deva Vrata das de Argentina

Muy feliz de verlo en el Santo Dhama en éxtasis, el superexcelente Radha Kunda.

Estuve viendo sus clases que muy generosamente comparten los devotos que están con usted allá.

Gurudev. El otro día leía la sección del Caitanya Caritamrita sobre Raghunath das Gosvami. Siempre estuve muy atraido a él y a su renunciación. Creo que también es lo que más me atrae de tí. Y pensaba en lo parecido que eres.

Jaya Gurudev! Jaya Raghunath das Gosvami!

Acá seguimos en el fango del sufrimiento material, peleando con el mal karma que uno sembró con sus fechorías y tratando de practicar ALGO de servicio devocional SINCERO a la Suprema Personalidad de Dios, lo cual es muy difícil porque soy un farsante desde tiempo inmemorial. Siempre tengo en mente ocultos deseos de disfrute egoísta en cada acción, lo cual hace que todo se frustre y que no obtenga ni una cosa, ni la otra.

Arjuna, en el Bhagavad Gita, está perturbado acerca de cual será la posición del yogi que emprende el camino devocional, pero que por su mentalidad mundana cae ¿se perderá (desaparecerá) como una nube en el cielo? ¿este practicante no tendrá éxito en ninguna esfera, ni en la material, ni en la espiritual?

Gurudev ¿Cómo se puede vivir en este mundo una vida medianamente "normal"? (quiero decir, ni fingir ser un mahatma, ni tampoco volverse un animal de dos patas)

No tengo ni la cualificación para volverme un gran trascendentalista ni la cualificación para volverme un karmi exitoso... ¿qué hago?

Realmente, siento que esta vida en este cuerpo ya está trunca, torcida de entrada, desde que nací. Quisiera (si pudiera) ya (ahora) cambiar de cuerpo y tener un nacimiento un poco más favorable.

Realmente, Gurudev, no se puede vivir sin obtener ningún disfrute de ninguna esfera, ni material ni espiritual.

Siempre recuerdo un verso del Srimad Bhagavatam recitado por Mahatma Vidura que resume la situación:

SB 3.7.17

Tanto el más bajo de los necios como aquel que es trascendental a toda inteligencia disfrutan de felicidad, mientras que las personas que se encuentran entre ambos sufren los tormentos materiales. https://vedabase.io/es/library/sb/3/7/17/

Gurudev... ¿cómo hacemos ese paso para volvernos trascendentalistas, de una manera amena y viable, sin tener que volver a la necedad del "mudha" y buscar disfrute burdo en la materia? ¿Cómo toleramos los tormentos de no tener disfrute de ninguna esfera, ni material, ni espiritual? ¿Quién puede vivir una vida "seca" en todos los sentidos?

Gracias Gurudev por su inspiración constante, porque usted es una prueba viviente de que existen grandes almas que están tocando el placer trascendental del servicio a Dios sin deseos personales.

Disculpe por lo derrotista que parece esta carta.

Hare Krsna

Deva Vrata das